Cup Musings: ‘OK’ goaltending doesn’t cut it for Colorado

It form of felt like Andrei Vasilevskiy would step up if the Stanley Cup closing went on.

No query now that Tampa is getting higher goaltending than Colorado.

During the last three video games, Vasilevskiy has posted a .938 save proportion, stopping 106 of 113 photographs. Those getting into are these greasy, grinding objectives the Cup closing is known for: off a skate, off a pad, off a physique. Pucks are usually not beating Vasilevskiy cleanly.

In the meantime, the objectives beating Darcy Kuemper are clear photographs: five-hole, beneath an arm or brief facet. After the sport, it nearly felt like Colorado coach Jared Bednar was channelling Randy Carlyle speaking about James Reimer, circa 2014 (“He was OK, simply OK.”) Bednar on Kuemper: “He was OK. I’d prefer to see him get the primary one, clearly.”

Kuemper’s save proportion these final three video games: .889, stopping 80 of 90 photographs.

If you happen to’re Tampa Bay, that is excellent news heading into Sport 6, although you’re trailing three video games to 2.

If you happen to’re Colorado, you’ve simply acquired to maintain doing what you’re doing. Shoot the whole lot you’ve acquired at Vasilevskiy and hope for that break.

Questions, please

You probably have a query, please electronic mail me at askkevinmcgran@gmail.com and I’ll reply it within the subsequent Mailbag.

Now, to the Seven Stanley Cup Musings as we head towards Sport 6.

1. Mac assault

If Sport 5 was the primary one Vasilevskiy stole, then what ought to be Colorado’s secret weapon? My guess is Nathan MacKinnon. He nonetheless hasn’t had his second. If Colorado goes to win the Stanley Cup, they’re going to wish him to begin scoring.

2. Of their head

One of the best factor the Lightning can hope for is that they’ve planted a seed of doubt in Colorado. Steve Stamkos stated it finest: “You bought a 3-1 lead in any collection, not to mention the Stanley Cup closing, and also you don’t shut it out on the primary attempt, there’s some doubt that creeps in. We’ve been in that scenario earlier than. It’s human nature.”

3. Karma, child

How about that too-many-men name with 2:38 to go that stunted Colorado’s try to tie the sport. It was a deserved penalty, even Bednar stated so: “We left early.” Nonetheless, it was the very name that was missed in Sport 4 and led to Colorado’s winner. “That shouldn’t be a narrative,” stated Lightning coach Jon Cooper. “The refs known as the sport by the foundations. It was lucky for us as a result of as an alternative of them having a three-minute goalie pull, they solely get 40 seconds.”

4. Not completely satisfied

The parents in Colorado weren’t proud of the officiating. Colorado took 4 penalties, Tampa two. None appeared egregious to me, although Bednar wasn’t proud of the tripping name on Cale Makar that led to a Nikita Kucherov purpose and a uncommon power-play marker for Tampa. “I didn’t love that decision, simply because there was no intent there. I don’t even assume he was checking that man. Appeared to me like he form of tripped over a stick. It’s a tricky one.” To me, that was an instance of a name (rightly made) that was not known as in Sport 4. So Cooper’s post-Sport 4 speech had an impact. The referees had been on the look-out. I occur to consider that the appropriate calls had been made in Sport 5. I hope the usual stays.

4. Unsung hero

Ondrej Palat is the unsung hero of the Lightning (and on account of money in huge time as an unrestricted free agent). He was a part of the fabled Triplets with Kucherov and Tyler Johnson who minimize their enamel collectively (beneath Cooper) in Tampa’s farm system. Palat now has 12 game-winning playoff objectives. “He’s at all times the third man talked about on his line. However should you ask the opposite two gamers on his line, they might speak about him possibly probably the most,” stated Cooper.

6. So proud

I’m so pleased with myself that I didn’t use the time period “stave off elimination” within the newspaper right now. Go forward, look.

7. Public stance

The NBA and WNBA put out a press launch supporting ladies’s rights after the U.S. Supreme Court docket struck down Roe v Wade, thereby ending a lady’s constitutional proper to abortion in the USA. The NHL? Effectively, nothing but.

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